Viral

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New TikTok Trend Asks Men To Name A Woman On The Spot & The Answers Are *Gold*

Out with the Roman Empire; in with “name a woman.”

by Katie McPherson

TikTok always has a new trend: daughters transforming their moms into them, telling your kid another parent just challenged you to a fight, and...kids wearing dog collars to school and barking at each other. Not all of them can be winners, OK? But the latest one is intended for couples, and is basically the new Roman Empire. So, what is the “name a woman” trend, and where did it come from? Here’s everything you need to know about this silly little videos you’re seeing on social media.

What is the “name a woman” viral trend?

You’ll remember the Roman Empire format: while recording, ask a man in your life (usually a partner) how often they think about the Roman Empire. Women everywhere were shocked just how frequently and universally our male counterparts are just mulling over that particular bit of history. Well, the name a woman trend isn’t far off.

In this little meme set-up, a woman very simply requests a man to name a woman, without offering any context ahead of time. The answers are always hilarious and oddly illuminating — like one man who answers “Reba McEntire” without missing a single beat (he’s a keeper). Or, why is Susan B. Anthony so top of mind for this charming fellow?

Who started the “name a woman” trend?

It would seem that we have actor and comedian Billy Eichner to thank for this new social media gem. In his Billy on the Street game show, Eichner hits the streets of New York City to ask unprepared passersby random questions, which they must answer in exchange for dollar. In a 2013 installment, Eichner approaches a woman walking down the street and simply asks her to name a woman, which just...sends the poor thing reeling.

How we got from a 10-year-old bit to the question gaining traction on TikTok today isn’t totally clear, but the clip was reposted to Eichner’s TikTok account in last July and received millions of views. Since then, women have asked their men the question and an interesting set of expectations have formed. For starters, he should definitely not say the name of another woman who isn’t #1. you or #2. undeniably famous.

Another interesting part of this test: the vast majority of men seem to answer this question with Hillary Clinton. Currently, #nameawoman has nearly 41 million views on TikTok, so there is no shortage of funny responses to scroll through if you’re loving these videos.

How to do the “name a woman” trend.

  1. Approach a man, preferably with your phone in hand and recording. You may want to play this back or send it to your friends.
  2. Without preparing him in any way, ask him to name a woman. Do not clarify. If he is too confused to answer, do not balk — press him again to name. A. Woman.
  3. Respond to his answer appropriately. If he named you, wow, so sweet. If he named a beloved celebrity or historical figure, hooray, give him a cookie. And if he named someone you’ve never heard of before, well, you can list that as the cause of death in his obituary.
  4. If his answer was funny, put it on the internet. We wanna see.

So, enjoy this new batch of Roman Empire-adjacent content, for however long we have it. And why not make your own, as a fun little moment with your partner that’s sure to get you both laughing? Happy meme-ing, ladies.